On 2005-09-06 20:47, purple jade wrote:My husband had accepted a job as vice-president of a locally owned industrial machinery company about a week before the storm. Three of the company's branch offices were destroyed and the main office was cleaned out by looters. Long story short, there's no company anymore, and he now has no job.

I sent you a PM. I know of some headhunters locally that may be able to help him. Also, the building where I work is a buzz of activity and I imagine there's something available for him.
_________________http://www.kimberlypcoburn.com

I do hope you're well. I have been thinking of you and came across this photo yesterday and thought it was only appropriate to post it here. Remember, you were coming to Atlanta and couldn't make it? Well, we were so missin' you that after several cocktails, decided to write you a message.

My thoughts are with you.

Pictured here are Basement Kahuna (lookin' mighty snazzy in his suit I might add), myself, Heather, Kava King and his lovely wahine Michelle and JTB

For PJ and all others affected by Katrina: yes, it sucks to have to accept aid when you've always stood on your own before. But 1) it's not like you did anything to cause this situation, itís not your fault and 2) remember the aid you receive is partly karma deservedly coming back to you as well as possibly your own tax dollars you've already paid into the system. So, see, it's all just rightfully yours anyway...at least in my opinion.

And even though everything is pretty bleak right now with no jobs or homes, keep in mind that people who still have their wits about them (and yes, I'm sure that's questionable too at times like these) always seem to get back to where they were in life. My grandmother had to leave her town in France after WWII because there were no jobs or resources. Food was scarce, much had been destroyed and she had 4 children to care for by herself. She had to head out for another town to find work and moved her family there.

In fact, when the Americans arrived in her town, they were handing out care packages of food and such, but my grandmother refused saying she didnít accept charity. My mom and her siblings had recently brought home a stray dog (which did not please my grandmother since there was already so little food) so my grandma handed the dog to the soldier offering the package. He understood that she was trying to pay for the package with the dog so she got food for her children and the soldiers apparently gained a mascot for their troop.

In another example, some Hungarian friends of my parents were practically run down by Russian tanks trying to escape in the revolution of '56. They hid wherever they could, barely had anything but the clothes on their backs and stole eggs from farms along the way to feed themselves. They somehow and eventually found their way across the border to freedom and completely started their lives over. I'm not sure what they exactly did next, but 6 years later they were in the states making a good living and eventually bought a nice house here in Los Angeles.

Anyway, I know those situations were quite a while ago, but I give these examples as hope that even in the most seemingly hopeless situations, there IS the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It's only a matter of time (perhaps a while) before your husband finds a replacement job, but meanwhile try to just take one day at a time. I read that the donations to relief efforts are setting records so hopefully all the help you need will be there for people like you to rebuild your lives one step at a time. I don't pretend to know what it feels like in your shoes right now. I just want to give you hope that there will be a day in the future when things will be a lot better. It may just take a while and some help from others to get there.

Also remember that giving helps us too. It helps us feel like we can put a faster end to the awful reports we are witnessing.

And by all means, please do post your list of necessities when you do need them.

It's sort of like those 4 leaf clovers you get for donating at the grocery store or whatever, but it will be Hukilau swizzles. I'll take them to Hukilau with me and give them out to people to put in their drinks as a reminder of Purple Jade and Mary and Armead who will not be with us due to Katrina. I will also take donations at the event.

OK today we were able to get past the checkpoints and into our area even though it's officially still restricted. The Nat'l Guard is being merciful to the desperate and frustrated Lakeview residents.

We kept hearing differing reports of the water levels, toxicities, and general devastation, so we weren't 100% sure what our house would look like. But now it's official...we've lost everything.

The area looks like it has undergone a nuclear assault. All vegetation is dead or dying from the water and/or toxins, and the landscape (such as it is) is a grey-green accented by areas of brown and black. There's no way to describe it. The smell of death and decay is indescribable. It's like every apocalyptic movie you've ever seen.

My house looks like a disgusting sno-globe, everything has been picked up and tossed around. (Note the side-by-side refrigerator lying on its side in the kitchen.) The french doors in the back were apparently blown open by the force of the water. I found a box of my sewing notions halfway down the driveway. All my bookshelves fell to pieces and every single book is trash (including my padded cover BOT).

The water level from the ground was approx. 8 feet. That means about 5 feet in the raised part of the house, and 7 1/2 in the slab part.

There is still about 4-6 inches of quite putrid water in my den, and the rest of the house has about 3-4 inches of slippery, tarry black yuck on the floor. We had to climb in a window because we couldn't open the swollen door. I'm not sure what I imagined I'd see, but my imagination could not come up with anything nearly as horrible as the reality of it.

This Shutterfly link shows the Lakeshore area, en route to my house, and then my house. (Anyone who's been to Kiliki's website may recognize the Lakeshore bus shelter pic.)

Well PJ, that slid show was about more heartbreaking than anything I have seenyet, and to know that was your home in ruins just doubles the agony. I truely hope things are looking up for you and the rest of your family. Just know we care and we will do anything to help.

pj, thank you for sharing those images ~ it is difficult for us to get a feel for the actual conditions there and you really drove it home with those. we are continuing to keep you in our thoughts and are here for you when you need us. all the best, j$

Oh, PJ, I'm just nauseated, and I'm not even there to smell it. I can't even tell you how sad it all makes me. Yours is the first of my friends' lost homes of which I've seen fotos. And none of them had, well, the STYLE that you have, so I feel your loss most of all.

I have a spare BOT that's all yours. It's not a padded cover, but it's still one *tiny* thing I can replace. It's waitin' 'til you have a place to put it.

And you can be proud of me - the refugee big black lab that I took in (along with his master whose home is also in utter ruins in Chalmette, that one's bandmate, and her boyfriend) is now essentially mine. I may not have been able to adopt a lot of newly homeless animals, but I could take in one big one. (Although the possum that lived under the house isn't exactly thrilled..... and neither are the stray kitties I try to feed.)

(sssssh about that last part - I have to maintain my facade as a cat-hater....well, dog-favorer over cat-favorer....ah hell, who am I kidding. I'm an animal-lover.)

Anyway, let me (any of us) know what I/we can be on the lookout for for you, regarding replacing things. Houston has a lot of thrift stores and antique shops with cool stuff, though needless to say, the 100,000 or so displaced New Orleanians are going be going thru it fast! But I know we'd all love to help you with more than just words and money (which are both perfectly wonderful) if we can.

PJ, I feel there is very little I can do here from far away Bavaria, but at least I can promise you my very last padded cover BOT copy I own. I kept it for something special, and now I know what for.
I won't be home til December, but you should have it for X-mas.

Hey PJ- Thanks for sharing these pictures with us. I can't even imagine how it must feel to return to those conditions. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I am about 2 hours east of NO. You have our number if we can be of help. Don't hesitate to call.